Center Twp. bridge open
CENTER TWP — The new West Sunbury Road bridge is now open to traffic.
The bridge, which spans a tributary to Stony Run, was replaced as part of the state Department of Transportation's Rapid Bridge Replacement Project.
The new bridge opened on Wednesday. The road was closed July 19 for the work to be done.
According to PennDOT, the new bridge has a 100-year life span. The old span was on the state's structurally deficient list.
The Rapid Bridge Replacement Project is a public-private partnership between PennDOT and the consortium Plenary Walsh Keystone Partners, which finances, designs, replaces and maintains bridges for 25 years.
According to PennDOT, this initiative enables bridges to be replaced more quickly, saves money and minimizes impacts on motorists.
The West Sunbury Road, Route 308, bridge is one of 558 being replaced under the three-year program.
The bridge replacements are done quickly because standardized designs and prefabricated components are used, according to Plenary Walsh Keystone Partners.
PennDOT referred questions about project details to the consortium.
Jeff Rossi, consortium spokesman, said there was no breakdown of the cost for individual projects.
The cost for all 558 bridges is $899 million.
Rossi said the new bridge is the same 30 feet in length as the old one, but has more room on the road shoulders.
Contractor Mele & Mele & Sons of Braddock in Allegheny County did the work.
